Total synthesis of aculeatins A and B from d-glucose

Isoxazole-tethered diarylheptanoid analogs: Discovery of a new drug-like PAR2 antagonist

A new class of isoxazole-tethered diarylheptanoids having characteristic 1,3-syn-diol and 1,3-anti-diol chemophoric moieties, e.g. 4a-d and 5a-c respectively, have been designed and synthesized starting from d-glucose following a stereo-conserved general synthetic strategy. The isoxazole heterocycle was installed using our recently elaborated methodology deploying Magtrieve™ as a selective oxidizing agent. Two of these new analogs 4a and 5a exhibited significantly improved in vitro drug-like properties including solubility, metabolic stability, cell permeability and lack of nonspecific cytotoxicity when compared with curcumin-I. In a HEK293 cell-based intracellular calcium [Ca²⁺]_i release assay, 4a and 5a, when tested at 30 μM, inhibited the trypsin agonist induced protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) activity by 80% and 70% respectively. IC₅₀ of 4a (SB70) has been determined as 6 μM which is in the same range of current benchmarks for PAR2 antagonists.

A novel total synthesis of aculeatin A via a stepwise approach

Aculeatin A, isolated from the plant Amomum aculeatum, is a dispirocyclic compound having antimalarial activity. We describe a novel synthetic approach to aculeatin A via a stepwise strategy.

Omaezallene from red alga Laurencia sp.: structure elucidation, total synthesis, and antifouling activity

Natural antifouling products have been the subject of considerable attention. We screened marine algae for antifouling activity and discovered omaezallenes, the new bromoallene-containing natural products isolated from the red alga Laurencia sp. Described is the isolation, structure elucidation, and total syntheses of omaezallenes. The relative and absolute configurations of natural omaezallenes were unambiguously established through total synthesis. The antifouling activities and ecotoxicity of omaezallenes were also evaluated.

Forming spirocyclohexadienone-oxocarbenium cation species in the biomimetic synthesis of amomols

The oxidation of appropriate 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ketones gives direct access to amomols by means of the formation of a transient spirocyclohexadienone-oxocarbenium ion that is intermolecularly intercepted by an alcohol. Furthermore, homochiral amomols and other new analogues were synthesized for the first time and were biologically evaluated on Plasmodium falciparum.

Polyol synthesis with beta-oxyanionic alkyllithium reagents: syntheses of aculeatins A, B, and D

Synthesis of ketone aldol products using a non-aldol route was developed. The beta-phenylthio alcohols were prepared from optically pure oxiranes. Deprotonation and reductive lithiation generated the key intermediate, a beta-oxyanionic alkyllithium reagent. Addition to a Weinreb amide produced the beta-hydroxy ketone in >90% yield using only 1.5 equiv of the phenylthio alcohol. Stereoselective reduction of the ketone led to either the syn- or anti-1,3-diol. This simple, convergent sequence was used to prepare aculeatins A, B, and D from a common intermediate.